“Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore to Abraham, playing” (Genesis 21:9). “She said to Abraham: Banish this maidservant and her son, for the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac” (Genesis 21:10). “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Rabbi Akiva used to say something derogatory regarding this, but I say something complimentary regarding it.
Rabbi Akiva expounded: “Sarah saw [the son of Hagar…playing [metzaḥek]]” – metzaḥek is nothing other than sexual immorality, just as it says: “The Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came to me to play with [letzaḥek] me” (Genesis 39:17). It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael force himself on women, trap married women, and violate them. It is taught: Rabbi Yishmael says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than idol worship, as it is stated: “The people sat to eat and drink and they rose to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6).
It teaches that our matriarch Sarah would see Ishmael building altars, trapping grasshoppers, and sacrificing [them] upon them. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of bloodshed, as it says: “Let the lads rise now and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Ishmael said to Isaac: ‘Let us go and see our portion in the field.’
Ishmael would then take a bow and arrows and shoot toward Isaac, conducting himself as though he was [just] playing. That is what is written: “Like the prankster who shoots firebrands, [arrows, and death], so is a man who deceives his friend, and says: Am I not joking?” (Proverbs 26:18–19). But I [Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai] say something complimentary regarding it. This expression of tzeḥok is nothing other than an expression of inheritance.
When our patriarch Isaac was born, everyone was rejoicing. Ishmael said to them: ‘You are fools. I am the firstborn and I will inherit twice as much.’ From Sarah’s response to Abraham: “For the son of this maidservant will not inherit with my son, with Isaac,” you may learn this.31Sarah said that the reason she wanted Yishmael banished was connected to the issue of inheritance.
“For…will not inherit with my son” – even if he were not Isaac, and “he will not inherit…with Isaac” – even if he were not my son; all the more so “with my son, with Isaac.”